


Epilogue, Part II

by panther3751



Category: My Teacher Is an Alien - Coville
Genre: Gen, Pre-OT3, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-21
Updated: 2009-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-04 21:44:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/panther3751/pseuds/panther3751
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter Thompson's thoughts - and a request for help - some time after My Teacher Flunked the Planet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Epilogue, Part II

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheSecondBatgirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSecondBatgirl/gifts).



You know, the funny thing really wasn't that I felt like laughing any time an alien asked me, "Did you really think this was going to be _easy_, Peter?" No; the funny thing was that I could tell Susan and Duncan were also about to laugh when someone said that, and they were sometimes quite a ways away. More than once poor Susan, who used to be so diligent and well-behaved in school, would be caught snickering in a classroom.

Of course we still had to go to school. The type varied, of course, which we really thought was better, because we were all kind of there simultaneously. Though the catch with the whole "all is one and one is all" bit was – and Duncan pointed this out quickly – while we were each Susan, Duncan, and I all at the same time, we were still ourselves, too. And we each had our own thoughts to sort out. So, even though we knew everything about each other … well, I'm not really thinking what others were thinking all at the same time. Yes? No? Well, it's a little confusing. But I learned quickly to concentrate on one thing at a time, especially when we were apart, or we get so overwhelmed.

I guess it would have been easier if we could have kept living together, with Broxholm and Kreeblim and Big Julie. Yet, we have a responsibility. Not only that, but … having seen all of those kids at that runaway shelter kind of was a wakeup call for us, too. So, while I went up into space with Dad and Ms. Schwartz (and that's still weird to think even now) so we could get more aliens on board with the teacher program – Susan and Duncan went home. Susan's parents could only believe the whole scholarship thing for so long anyhow. And, Duncan …

Duncan tried to go home. Even when the "brain fry" began to wear off for him, he didn't change overnight or anything. Or, maybe it didn't change him at all – just made him realize things about other people. When he arrived back, his father tried to "knock some sense into him" and his older brother helped – Susan and I snapped at that, you have no idea – Duncan turned around and left. He'll never admit it to anyone but us, perhaps not even himself, but it really broke his heart. Yet, he turned it around quickly. You see, though Duncan might not have been a "genius" anymore – he was smart. Wise, is more of what I mean. He remembered all of those kids in that shelter, and figured he could do better there. Helping a few alien friends of ours, of course.

But we laugh about things. It's easier, since we're all here for each other. Susan and Duncan's integrating alien teachers down there, and I'm training them up here, but we're still not alone. I haven't really tested how far the connection goes yet. Even if I'm doing a good job up here, I still rather miss Earth if I'm away too long. And Dad and Ms. Schwartz do, too. They're the … only people who we've told, by the way, who are from Earth that is. Gave them a bit of a surprise, of course. It was rather like, I suppose, telling him about the aliens the first time. They were scared, at first.

The question Dad asked us – well, me – was, "What will happen to _you?_"

I know he's just worried about me. But, as I've said before, even though we're all connected – we can't hide anything – we're still all different. Individuals. Let's say Susan: she's a girl, so Ms. Schwartz thought she'd have it the toughest, but it's not like she has no, er, privacy. Privacy is a bit of a weird concept, anyway. She has her thoughts, and they just feel differently from Duncan's thoughts – just like she says our thoughts feel different from each other. And while she could ask to think about something else while she does personal stuff, she doesn't need to. Nor do Duncan and I feel like we have to tell her to think about homework while we're in the bathroom or something. We don't _want_ to pay attention. That kind of thing is boring. She said it'd be different when we're older, but I really don't think so. Just because … if we want to think that way about somebody, it'll be because we both want it, I think.

Yeah, we've talked about this. I guess that's what happens when Susan is in your head. You end up talking about a lot of emotions and things when – for me – you were just too embarrassed to think about them before, and for Duncan – you thought it'd make you a sissy. It's good to have Susan connected with us. And Duncan, too. I can't ever forget about him.

Kreeblim thought Duncan would have it the hardest. She told him, in private as if that mattered, that she couldn't imagine him losing what he had, but still being connected to … she didn't say smart people. But she implied it. That embarrassed Susan and I, I'll be honest with you. But it'd been a while since he learned, initially, and Duncan just shrugged it off. He's always been like that, even before. Because maybe he's not a "genius", like I mentioned before, he's wise. Now, working with the kids at the shelter, he's better at reading people than most adults are. And, for a lot of those guys, he knows what it's like to be in their shoes. Duncan's a "big picture" sort of person, and though his brain doesn't work hyperfast anymore, he's always trying to solve problems. The thing is, now with us, he has some people to help him.

So, while Susan's teaching us to work out issues inside of our heads, and Duncan's always thinking about Earth and the people he works with every day – I'm up here. Trying to organize everything with the guys up here, recruiting more people into the ambassador-teacher program as we filter people on and off the _New Jersey_. Broxholm once told me he thought it'd be tough for me, just because I'm doing so much. But they're busy, too. I guess other people can't understand just how … nice, it is, to always have someone to talk to. Who understands how you feel because they're feeling it, too. And, quite honestly, who can say when you're being stupid when you can't admit it to yourself. We all have those days.

Then, they asked, "When will others become … connected, like you are?"

We don't know. At times, we're a bit selfish and hope it's not for a while. It's nice being so … close, to the people I like the most. You know what I mean? But those are fleeting. Because then Duncan starts telling me off in my head, and Susan makes that squinty face in my mind's eye, and I start having that squirmy feeling inside. Humanity needs to learn how to connect with one another. It's scary, not having any secrets – but it's not like you lose who you are. I'm still me, after all. But I'm also them at the same time. Oh, forget it. I guess I'm used to trying to explain it to Dad. Though, really, more people need to understand.

I guess I'm writing this now, because – the project isn't going as great as we'd planned. Oh, sure, we're getting a lot of teachers. They're coming from all across the stars, and not just to teach. Many are becoming disguised as adults and even more children, to watch and learn and to teach more of them to send out. After all, I'm just three people, and though there's Dad and Ms. Schwartz, too – it's impossible for us to do this alone. Eventually, things will go well enough here so I can go back to Earth. Dad's been talking about resettling in the Rockies.

But, there needs to be humans on the other side, too. Right now? There's just Susan and Duncan. Eventually I'll be down there, but that doesn't matter. You think I'm busy? You should see them! They're constantly helping aliens while they try to pretend to do things normal kids are supposed to do. Especially Susan. (Some day we'll have to tell her parents about all this, but none of us are looking forward to it.) Status quo as usual, I suppose. Things are going swimmingly in space while people on Earth are floundering around. Not that it's really anyone's help. But we _need_ people.

We need you.

I'm writing this because there's nobody else better equipped to help us than other kids. No, scratch that, other humans in general. You're reading this? Lend a hand. You don't need to know who the aliens are. Duncan thinks it's rather better that way. Answer questions. Be generous. Give your time to help a stranger. It's not hard, even if you don't hear their thoughts, to tell when someone needs help. Does it matter, in the end, which you're helping? In the end, you're helping us all either way.

And maybe, when more people listen to their hearts – more of us will find that connection we seek.

**Author's Note:**

> Revisiting my childhood here - or perhaps is it my brothers' childhoods? I've read these books to them too many times to count. I always thought the end left things a bit unfinished, however, so the prompt I received was perfect. These kids are a lot of fun to write about - and I think I'd like writing them as adults, too. I never considered writing for this fandom before Yuletide, so I hope I do them justice. :)


End file.
